SUV purchasing - RAV4 or CRV?

atraveller

Okay - so someone may have posted on this before and if they have, my apologies, but I didn't see any posts like this. So we are embarking on our first SUV purchase. Technically with only one on the way, we could get by on a Sedan but with the winters we have here, I'd feel safer in a small SUV and both DH's and my cars are older and it is time for something new.

We had narrowed it down to either a RAV4 or a CRV - and went and did some test driving this weekend. These two cars in terms of safety ratings, features, reilability, etc...are very comparable but when we test drove we felt the RAV4 drove a bit more like car (took turns better, etc...) and the CRV a bit more like a van - based on sizing, we are guessing this is because the RAV4 has you sitting at a lower center of gravity. It also has a more sporty design.  Net-net, we like it a bit better, BUT we are in general getting offered better pricing on the CRV, so are leaning in that direction. My DH has left it up to me as this will be the car I am driving more often than him. Ultimately they are both great, so can't really make a wrong decision here - but I figured with all of the moms on here, some of you might own one or the other and might have opinions, tips or likes or dislikes to offer and thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone had anything advice/thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

ladybug0088

I love my CRV. Great car and easy to get in and put of which I think will be important with a LO. The trunk is absolutely HUGE! I had a Ford Escape before the CRV and they are both similar except the trunk is definitely deeper in the CRV.

I would say a family of 4 could comfortable use this car. I would reconsider if you had more than that living in one home only because it would be tight.

bumpuser10309732

I don't know much about the Rav-4. My mom was looking at that and the one smaller (I can't remember the name of that model). She's got the smaller model,  but similar. It has all the bells and whistles and she loves hers. It does get uncomfortable when driving long distances 6+ hours. On the other side my aunt loves her CRV but in my opinion some of the interiors feel a little cheap and the backseat is uncomfortable. People who own both always rave about how much they love them so I don't see how you can go wrong. I feel like price should factor some what but in the end you should buy the one you like more because you'll have it for a long time (assuming) and you don't want to be going oh I wish I got the other one.  

ANGnJON

I have no personal experience on these two SUVs but I currently have 3 family members driving the Rav. I have been in all 3 of them & have been impressed with the spaciousness of them. They are all newer (within the last 4 yrs or newer). My mom purchased hers after owning an Explorer & she said her only complaint is that it is noisier than her Ford was. GL to you OP!

Maggie6424

Oooh I'm so glad you asked this! I'm looking at the same thing but was leaning toward the CRV because of gas mileage and reviews I've read. People seem to not be liking the new Rav's.

AmandaJean12

I love my CRV. I didn't think I would coming from a small car and being horrible at parking downtown but it handles so well. And I love that the backup camera comes standard - we have tons of kids in our neighborhood and it's great for making sure no one zips out on a trike behind you, etc.

I honestly didn't test drive the Rav-4. DH did and said it was fine but he didn't think it warranted the extra price. But I'd recommend the CRV after just short of a year with it.

ohioloveyou

I love my Rav-4!  Mine is kind of bumpy, but we have a 2012 "sport" version with run-flat tires that contributes to that.  Personally, I love the spaciousness of this vehicle...people in the back are never cramped and I have SO MUCH trunk space.

ashie0610

We have a CRV and are very happy with it.  It was originally my H's commuting car but we recently switched and now it's mine. I previously drove an Audi so the only thing that bugs me sometimes is how slow the pickup is since I'm used to something with a little more power.  Overall, I love it and it's very easy to get DS, groceries, and the stroller in and out, even now.  

I have never driven a Rav-4 so I can't compare the two.  We purchased the CRV brand new in 2007 and it now has about 175K miles on it and is still going strong.  We plan to keep it for as long as possible and then will decide whether to get another one or a bigger car if we decide to have a third child.  

If I were you, I'd probably just go with the cheaper one if they feel similar to you.  Good luck with your decision!

Saragoeswest

We considered a CRV but ultimately went with a Subaru Forester. I'm a total Subaru convert now. I hope you at least consider a Subaru, either the Forester or the Outback. The all wheel drive is great.

rae76

I haven't seen the RAV-4 lately, but my current car and my last car were both CRV's.  

There are only a few things about my 2013 CRV that I absolutely hate.  

1.  The drivers mirror has an extended view portion and it is hard to get used to but I finally learned how to ignore the edge of the mirror.  I almost asked the sales guy to return my car because of it.

2.  The passenger front seat is very uncomfortable.  It's hard as a rock!

3.  In snowy weather I have to put my CRV in D1 or D2 in order to drive well.  It took me 2 years with my first CRV to learn that. 

4.  The radio part of the dash looks very cheap to me on the 2013 compared to my old 2008.  This is completely personal preference but I didn't like it.

Honda definitely held its value better than any other car I've owned.  My 2008 got hit and totaled and basicly insurance valued the car only $5000 less than what I paid for it, so I had a lot to go find another vehicle.  This was the main reason I bought another CRV.

My DH has a Pilot and I absolutely love it.  If I didn't think it would have been silly for us both to have the same car I probably would have gotten a Pilot.

ETA - I forgot to also say"

The road noise is a little loud depending on the road I'm driving.  If it's smooth it's fine, but if it's a rough rocked asphalt it's loud. 

The acceleration rate isn't as great as I would like.  I think this is mainly due to my previous cars having a V6 engine and the CRV being a 4 cylinder.  I didn't think I would notice the change as much as I did but it's noticable to me.  If I take it off of the Econo mode it is better.

JJsMum

I love my Toyotas. We are on our 4th Toyota because we've had such good experiences with them. When we were expecting DS#2 we looked at the Rav4, the CRV, and the Element. We were able to do a 4 day test drive with each of them. Maybe something to ask your dealership?

We ultimately chose the Rav4, but when we got to the dealership to do it, they didn't have the package we wanted on hand, and we ended up with the Highlander which I ended up absolutely loving! I loved having the 3rd row for when we had company (already had 2 kids in the back seat).

atraveller

Thanks folks - based on these responses, it sounds like we can't go wrong whichever direction we go. Our main desires in having this automobile are reliability, safety, and driveability and it appears owners of both find these three factors pretty consistent in these two vehicles. I did notice plastic parts in both RAV 4 (we're looking at the lowest end one as we don't really need the bells and whistles of the next one up and would rather save the money) and CRV, and while not my favorite - its an aesthetic I can certainly live with.

What sways us a bit towards the CRV is the dealer - they are actually a family-owned dealer and have one of the best reputations in our area for dealers - and even though our sales person was salesy, you could tell he wanted to work with us, period. The best Toyota dealer here is known for not so great business practices and the sales person we dealt with this weekend was unmotivated, inflexible and followed up with an email to answer a question with what amounted to basically a lie. Now a bad salesperson doesn't mean the car won't be any good, but its looking like no matter how we spin it, if we go with the CRV our savings will be between 2K and 4K and when about to take on the expenses of a new born, that is a significant amount of money as it can pay for a lot of other things. So unless Toyota suddenly comes back at us with a deal we just can't refuse, we think we're headed towards the CRV.  And from what it sounds like we'll be happy, even if RAV4 was our first choice. As I said at the start - both were pretty good - the RAV4 just handled the tiniest bit better and had slightly better pick-up.

Thanks again for all the tips and to the CRV owners for tips on driving.  We're going to be a family of 3, maybe 4, so size-wise both are perfect.

Saragoeswest - We did test drive the Forrester and have read their AWD is better than both CRV and RAV4, but overall feel and aesthetics didn't quite fit what we wanted. My sister-in-law has a Forrester and loves it, so I totally understand.

suprsuz

I have a 2012 rav4 and love it! We bought it about a year ago. Its got lots of room and drives really well. It gets great gas mileage.

pushgal84

MrsBabe614 said:

I don't know much about the Rav-4. My mom was looking at that and the one smaller (I can't remember the name of that model). She's got the smaller model,  but similar. It has all the bells and whistles and she loves hers. It does get uncomfortable when driving long distances 6+ hours. On the other side my aunt loves her CRV but in my opinion some of the interiors feel a little cheap and the backseat is uncomfortable. People who own both always rave about how much they love them so I don't see how you can go wrong. I feel like price should factor some what but in the end you should buy the one you like more because you'll have it for a long time (assuming) and you don't want to be going oh I wish I got the other one.  

100% agree that the interior of the CRV feels cheap and is not as comfortable as the Rav-4. My MIL is on her 2nd CRV and has loved both of them. My mom has a RAV-4 and absolutely loves hers. I've driven both and definitely prefer the RAV-4, it just feels more solid to drive, which makes me feel safer. Both retain their value well, are highly rated, and will last forever, so as pp said, you really can't go wrong. It really comes down to which you prefer and whether you think the RAV-4 warrants the higher price.

DiannaVB

We got a Nissan Rogue in 2012 and it's been great. Now that child #2 is on the way it's just not going to be big enough. We travel to visit family and go on vacation and such and can barely make one kid, the dog, and all the stuff fit.

[Deleted User]

I agree with @Nicb13 and @DiannaVB. I bought a new Jeep Cherokee about a month before my BFP. It will be great for one, maybe two, but if we ever want two kids and a guest in our car we will have to get a bigger one. Something to think about before you make the purchase.

JessAnnJ

We were deciding between a CRV and the Mazda crossover SUV. Ultimately we realized that there really wasn't that much more room in the backseat of either then there was in my Accord. In the end we bought another sedan, a Passat, which has more room in the backseat than the crossovers.

I have not actually owned either, but I would choose the CRV over the RAV4.

IrishHoney123

I have a CRV and I love it. I don't find the interior of mine to feel cheap, and it is very roomy. The winters are rough where I am, and it performs SO well in the snow-the automatic 4WD is seamless. I guess I'm in the minority in that we plan to squeeze 3 carseats across the back. They do fit, FYI!

chicitygirl7

I wanted to offer another vote for the CRV. I've driven a few and been really impressed. Plus, you can't go wrong with a Honda. Also, if you feel more comfortable doing business with the people from the Honda dealership, definitely go with your gut. And they're giving you a better price. In the past, I bought a new car from a dealership that ended up being kind of slimy and it really put a damper on the whole buying process for me. Sometimes it's worth it to go with the place that's known for good customer service. Good luck with you car buying process!

atraveller

Thanks folks - this has all been super helpful. I really appreciate all the input. We are off to the Honda Dealership in an hour and may just come home with a CRV. if the deal is right.

Dubsgirlie

Saragoeswest said:

We considered a CRV but ultimately went with a Subaru Forester. I'm a total Subaru convert now. I hope you at least consider a Subaru, either the Forester or the Outback. The all wheel drive is great.

This, hands down.

Eta: Plus, we decided on a Forester because it has the best safety ratings. (Ok, the 0% financing rate might've helped too.) But, like the Rav and CRV, there isn't much room for two kids and belongings, so my DH just had to trade in his car for a bigger SUV. :-/

trisharenee0316

I bought a new CRV in the summer of 2012 when I was about halfway through my first pregnancy.  I love the car.  I don't find any of the seats uncomfortable--in fact, we drove the car cross country from Boston to Los Angeles.  The only downside (which I can't compare to the RAV-4) is that there aren't any vents in the backseat, so it gets a bit hot and stuffy for backseat passengers, especially with a RF kiddo.

I also agree with the PPs who mentioned that you may want to think about it if you want more than one kid, especially if they'll be fairly close in age.  My kiddos will be about 22 months apart and my DD will hopefully still be RF.  There's no way to put the car seats we have side-by-side, so it means that I'll have to put each one on either side of the car.  The cargo area is big enough for all our bags and gear when we go on vacation (either driving or to the airport), so that's workable.  It's mainly the car seat thing that bums me out.  But it's a great car, I love it, and I would definitely buy it again.  And now that I'm considering upgrading, I'm seriously considering the Pilot because I just love my car so much and consider the Pilot the big brother to my current car.

LJElliston

Having a mechanic for a husband I hear a lot of things about cars everyday. Of the two I would go with the crv only of it has awd. That being said in my opinion the best car in that size range is the Subaru forester it has the best awd system if you have harsh winters and fits five comfortably. My car seat is kind of bulky and still there is enough room in back for two adults. But like I said of your two options from a mechanics wife's view for sure the crv. Happy hunting

raynes

I know you're already headed to the dealership, but I'm another vote for the CRV.  We got one just off lease before DS was born, so we've got a 2008, but it's the XL model, so nice leather seats and a sun roof.

My mom has the 2013 CRV and my stepdad drives the 2013 Pilot, we're quite the Honda family.

But I do love my car.  The trunk space is great, I especially love the platform/divider, it makes it very useful.  I carpool, and occasionally need to fit 2 grown men in the back with the RF carseat and while they're a bit squished they fit.  I'm still not sure how we'll configure 2 carseats back there, I hope to keep the passenger seat open, but we'll see.

Good luck!

MrsTinMKE

DH and I bought a Rav4 last year and love it! Lots of space, sporty look, great gas mileage and price was great. Everything we wanted.  my BIL also purchased one last week as well.  Its a great vehicle for the money.  It is my second Toyota and love it. Highly recommend it.